"Prince Zuko!" He whipped his head around, following the sound of her voice, looking desperately for her. "Prince Zuko!"

"Chiyo! Where are you?!"

Slender fingers covered his eyes. He turned sharply and came face to face with the apprentice. She was looking up at him with that devastating smile of hers, the very same one that had captured him so long ago. The red amber of her eyes shone brightly as she laughed. "Prince Zuko!"

The prince didn't hesitate at all as he pulled her into his arms into a tight, almost crushing hug. She was here. He couldn't stop the tears that fell freely as he held her close. "Chiyo... I'm so confused. I'm so scared."

"You do know what you have to do, don't you?"

He shook his head and buried his face into her thick, dark locks. "I don't..." He felt her hand rub his back comfortingly. Was he already in heaven?

"I know that you know... You're just afraid to face it."

All he could do was nod his head and keep holding her. Nothing else mattered at that moment. His Chiyo was here, and he was never letting her go.

"You have to be strong, Prince Zuko."She pulled away from him and touched his cheek, wiping away his tears. He leaned in to her soft touch, his eyes sliding closed. "I'm with you every step of the way."

He gasped as he was startled awake, breathing heavily. The dream felt so real to him. He brought his hand up to the cheek that she had touched, surprised to feel the wetness of his tears.

"Chiyo..." He whispered into the darkness of his room, but the only reply was the sound of his own breathing.

It was almost sunrise. They had been instructed to go into the underground chambers of the palace and stay for the entire duration of the eclipse.

"You do know what you have to do, don't you?" Her message rang clear in his mind.

"Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy." Uncle Iroh's words haunted him. "What happened generations ago can be resolved now, by you. You alone can cleanse the sins of our family, and the Fire Nation."

He could remain here as the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, and watch as his father destroys the Earth Kingdom and builds his empire. He could stay and have the glory of certain triumph by his side.

Or he could do the right thing and turn away the ideals and visions of his father that now sicken him to the core. He would risk his ruin, he would risk it all, for the slim chance that he could make things right.

The prince felt so conflicted.

"You have to be strong, Prince Zuko. I'm with you every step of the way."

She released a shaky breath as she stretched that morning. There were no butterflies in her stomach, only komodo-rhinos raging and galloping in circles. The anxiety of their mission was too much to bear. She had hoped to see the Lady Suiren before the eclipse, but the Fire Lord had taken her with him to his private bunkers, just as they had predicted.

Chiyo opened the satchel that Shang had given her. It was a complete set of armor for the Royal Palace Guards. She ran her fingers over the chest plate.

Today, they are going to do the unthinkable.

Today, they are going to kill the Fire Lord.

She got into the black tunic and trousers, then carefully slid the armor onto her body. She retrieved her swords and tied the scabbards to her back. She secretly hoped to never use them, but if the need arises, will she be able to do so without hesitation?

While securing the boots on her feet, four knocks sounded on the metal door of her bunker. "This is it." Chiyo took a deep breath and waited for the door to slide open.

Zuko wrote a short letter to Mai, explaining everything and apologizing. He had been so unfair to her. Truthfully, he had used her. Her presence was a comforting one, but his heart was elsewhere.

It belonged to Chiyo, it always had, and always will.

He expressed his regrets and his hopes in the letter, and wished that she would forget him.

He was all set to leave when he caught a glimpse of his mother's portrait that he had kept all these years. Beside the portrait was Chiyo's poster, the one he had found in the Misty Palms Oasis that had proclaimed her missing.

He knelt before their portraits and lowered his head. "I know I've made some bad choices," He whispered, his eyes closed as if in prayer. "But today, I'm gonna set things right."

Standing up, he gave them one last bow and retrieved his things. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and set off to face his father.

After temporarily paralyzing the four handmaidens, she bowed her head. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this." Chiyo gave them one last apologetic look and opened the metal doors. Fortunately, there was no one that stood guard at her doors. They must have been called to an emergency and left their posts.

She pulled out the map of the underground tunnels and traced her location towards the Fire Lord's private bunker, memorizing the path carefully. It was a bit of a long way, but she'll have to act fast.

Chiyo ran through the tunnels and winding passageways, careful to avoid the soldiers that patrolled tirelessly. She finally made it to one of the major passageways that led to the Fire Lord's chambers. There were a total of three entrances, four if the secret escape hatch counted. She hid by the eastern entrance and readied herself mentally for her task.

Aang took a deep breath as they stood before the metal doors of the bunker. "I'm ready. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord!" He held his staff tight and sent a powerful gust of wind that blew the doors open, revealing the cavernous hall that led to the throne.

They were unprepared for the shock as they saw not the Fire Lord, but Azula, sitting languidly on the temporary throne, one leg crossed over the other. "So... you are alive after all..." She smirked as she saw their expressions. "I had a hunch that you survived, but it doesn't matter. I've known about the invasion for months."

"Where is he?! Where's the Fire Lord?!" Aang demanded as he prepared himself for an inevitable fight.

"You mean I'm not good enough for you?" She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "You're hurting my feelings."

Sokka stepped forward and drew his sword. "Stop wasting our time and give us the information! You're powerless right now, so you're in no position to refuse!"

"And stick to the truth!" Toph backed him up. "I'll be able to tell if you're lying."

"Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar." She laughed mockingly. To her, lying was as easy as breathing. "I am a 400-foot tall, purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings."

The earthbender felt no change in heartbeat, nor breathing. She growled in annoyance. "Okay, you're good, I admit it!" She stomped her feet and sent an earthen cage to trap Azula's body from the neck down. "But you really ought to consider telling the truth anyway!"

They were confused as to why the princess could still smile despite her powerless situation, until the rock cracked and crumbled to the floor. Azula dusted off her armor lazily. "When I left Ba Sing Se, I brought home some souvenirs... Dai Li agents!" On cue, the two agents who were hiding in wait from the ceiling came down to defend the princess. "Have fun!"

"I'm ready to face you." Zuko gathered his courage and opened the northern entrance of the Fire Lord's bunker.

There sat his father, casually having tea with Lady Suiren. "Prince Zuko? What are you doing here?" The Fire Lord felt his chi weakening as the eclipse started, but he showed no change in expression nor stance. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to tell the truth!"

"Telling the truth during the middle of an eclipse... this should be interesting..." Fire Lord Ozai waved his royal guards away. "Suiren, leave us. My son and I are going to have a proper chat."

She steeled her expression and clenched her fists. She was not going to lose this opportunity. "But, my Lord, I wish to stay with you..."

"You can return later when this is over." He said stiffly, giving her a stern look.

"But, my Lord—"

"ENOUGH!" He struck her hard with the back of his hand, the force was threw her unto the ground. "I've had it with your defiance, Suiren! You forget your place!" Upon instruction, the guards took her by the arms and dragged her out through the eastern entrance.

Zuko watched as the concubine was helplessly pulled out of the bunkers. It was the first time he had seen his father get angry at her. She had always gotten away with everything, but perhaps the Fire Lord had finally lost his patience with her.

There was a brief moment of silence as the metal doors shut behind the guards, leaving the prince and the Fire Lord all alone in the bunker. "First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me."

"Why would she lie to me about that?"

"Because the Avatar's not dead. He survived."

"WHAT?!" He stood up, enraged.

Zuko continued calmly. "In fact, he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here."

"GET OUT! Get out of my sight, right now if you know what's good for you!"

"That's another thing. I'm not taking any orders from you anymore."

"You will obey me... or this defiant breath will be your last!" Perhaps he had not taught his son the lesson of respect at all when he had burned him in the Agni Kai chamber. He step down from the dais and approached him slowly, ready to teach him one final lesson.

Zuko reached behind him and drew his dual broadswords. "Think again!" He rooted his feet firmly on the ground and gripped the hilts of the swords. "I am going to speak my mind and you are going to listen!"

The Fire Lord pondered the situation. The eclipse has just started and he had no firebending, nor any weapons nearby. The phenomenon will last eight minutes, ten at most.

He sat back down on the dais, deciding to stall for the time being, and listen to what his traitorous son had to say.

She watched as the eastern entrance opened and the more guards went out, dragging with them her mentor. Anger seeped through her as she saw the state Lady Suiren was in, disheveled and weakened, a large bruise forming on her cheek. Rage blinded her and she stepped out of the shadows of her hiding place. "Let go of her!"

The guards turned at the voice and found her approaching. "It's the apprentice!"

"My Lady, you shouldn't be here—"

Chiyo punched him straight between the eyes and sent him flat on his back, unconscious. "I said, let go of her!" More guards closed in on her and Suiren struggled against her captors' hold. "You all know what I am capable of, right?" A memory resurfaced, one of her successfully defeating ten guards at a party held in the palace. "I have all defeated you before..."

The captain of the guards retrieved his spear. "Yes, we haven't been able to repay you for the humiliation you have dealt us four years ago!" He stepped forward. "I think the Fire Lord will reward me nicely for killing you, you traitorous wench!" He lunged forward, aiming to plunge the spear through her.

She stepped aside with ease and held the body of the spear tight. She twisted it out of his hold and used it against him, the tip of the spear grazing the captain's cheek. He glared at her with an enraged expression as blood trickled down the gash made by the spear.

"What are you idiots waiting for? Attack her!"

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me." He poured out everything that he had been holding back for so long, everything that he had always wanted to say, but never got the chance to do so. "I thought it was my honor that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you."

He had his momentum and he kept going. "You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn. My father, who challenged me, a 13-year old boy, to an Agni Kai. How could you possibly justify a duel with a child?"

"It was to teach you respect!"

"It was cruel, and it was wrong!"

"Then you've learned nothing!"

He brought up one of his swords and aimed at his father. "No! I've learned everything, and I've had to learn it on my own! Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was! The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation! They don't see our greatness. They hate us! And we deserve it!"

Zuko lowered his swords at his sides. "We have created an era of fear in the world, and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace, and kindness."

The Fire Lord threw his head back and laughed maniacally at his son's tirade. "You're uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?"

"Yes. He has."

Azula ran through the tunnels, leading them further and further away. The Avatar and his friends chased relentlessly, even with the Dai Li agents stalling them left and right.

"Wait!" Sokka stopped in his tracks as he realized what was happening. "Aang, Toph, stop attacking! Don't you see she's just playing with us! She's not even trying to win this fight!"

"Not true!" The princess objected haughtily. "I'm giving it my all!"

Toph finally sensed a slight change in her patterns, indicating a lie. "You're trying to keep us here and waste all our time!"

"Um, right, I think your friend just said that, genius. And since you can't see, I should tell you I'm rolling my eyes."

"I'll roll your whole head!"

Toph was about to attack but Sokka stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She's just baiting you again."

"Okay, so what do we do? Just ignore her?"

"We don't have a choice. We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow!" Aang and Toph agreed and turned away from the princess to follow Sokka.

"It's a trap," Azula called out with a wicked grin. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Ignore!"

"So... Sokka's your name, right? My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time." Her grin grew wider as they stopped in their tracks to listen to her. "She was convinced you were gonna come rescue her. Of course, you never came and she gave up on you..."

Sokka teared up as he was reminded of his failure to protect Suki. He growled and charged forward.

Unfazed, Azula drew a dagger hidden up her sleeve. "Come and get it..."

Toph heard the sound of the metal being drawn and quickly drew up rock from the ground, sending it ahead of Sokka to trap Azula's hands. Sokka took her by the collar and slammed her to the cave walls. "Where. Is. Suki?"

She must have taken down at least a dozen soldiers already using only her chi-blocking, yet more came at her to try and subdue her. It was as if there wasn't an end to them.

Suiren could only look on as her ward fought hard and long against the soldiers. Regret and fear mixed within her as she watched Chiyo slowing down, growing tired. If the Fire Lord discovers their treachery, he would not hesitate to kill them both.

Chiyo gasped as a spear was thrust though the gap of her chest plates. Thankfully, she had swerved fast, but not fast enough. The blade caught her skin and left a wide gash at her waist, blood seeping onto her tunic and armor.

"NO!" Suiren struggled to be free of the soldiers, but they were stronger and easily overpowered her. Tears fell as she thought back to losing Xin and her child. And now, she was about to lose Chiyo as well. "NO! CHIYO, RUN!"

She clutched her bleeding side, applying pressure to hopefully stop it from completely draining her. She staggered as her head felt light from the blood loss.

She refused to give up. She finally unsheathed one of the swords from her back and prepared herself to fight. "I won't let all of Lady Suiren's efforts go to waste! I won't let all her sacrifices be in vain!"

With a shout that made even the toughest of soldiers take a step back, she charged towards the captain of the guards with newfound determination. Ready to take them down.

Ready to kill.

"After I leave here today, I'm gonna free Uncle Iroh from his prison, and I'm gonna beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who has been a real father to me."

The Fire Lord chuckled mockingly. "That's just beautiful. Maybe he can pass down to you the ways of tea and failure."

"But I've come to an even more important decision." Zuko looked directly into his father's eyes, and for the first time he didn't not waver or cower in fear. It must have been Chiyo's spirit giving him strength, and he silently thanked her for it. "I'm going to join the Avatar, and I'm going to help him defeat you."

"Really?" Ozai raised a brow at his bold display. "Since you're a full-blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait? I'm powerless... You've got your swords... Why don't you just do it now?"

"Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny." He sheathed the swords back to the scabbard tied behind his back, and said the word that he had long wanted to say. "Goodbye."

"Coward!" The Fire Lord spat, calling after his retreating back. His son was a fool to think he will be getting out of this bunker alive. "You're only brave enough to face me during the eclipse! If you have any real courage, you'll stick around until the sun comes out." Six minutes had already passed since the beginning of the eclipse. Ozai thought of ways to provoke Zuko into staying. "Don't you want to know what happened to that whore you loved?"

Zuko gritted his teeth, willing himself not to fall into the obvious trap. "Chiyo is not a whore! She's dead! She died in the high seas! You can't use her against me! You have no right to even speak of her!"

"Oh, I wasn't talking about the apprentice. I was talking about your mother."

"CHIYO, STOP IT!" Suiren cried as thrashed and kicked futilely. "Stop it and run away! Please!"

She coughed up blood at the force of the staff hitting her in the gut and she fell back. There were black spots already in her vision, but the pain and her determination kept her sober. She stood up once more and clutched her swords. Her arms that felt like lead, were weighed down even more by the iron swords. "I...can't... not now..."

The apprentice lost count of how many soldiers she had fought, but there were only five of them still standing, all of them as equally tired and wounded as her.

A bout of stillness fell upon them as they waited for the other to attack first. "You are wounded and outnumbered, apprentice. Surrender now!"

The soldiers were irked as they heard her hollow laugh. "I... killed... them..." She gestured to the soldiers lying on the ground, some paralyzed and unmoving, some dead. "And I'm outnumbered?" Her laughter echoed through the walls of the cave and tunnels, sending shivers down their backs.

Her mentor feared for the young woman. She was slowly losing her strength, and all her rational thought. No matter how many times she called out, no matter how much she pleaded for her to stop, Chiyo pushed forward and fought hard.

She blamed herself for putting her in this danger. She was blinded by her need for revenge and absolution from the guilt of watching her beloved die, and now she paid the price by watching Chiyo suffer for her.

A loud explosion coming from inside the Fire Lord's bunker shook them out of their silence. The trembling of the earth caused Chiyo to stagger from her stance and fall to the ground. The soldiers took their chance and restrained her arms.

She struggled and snarled like a wild animal against her restraints, bleeding out profusely from her wounds. "Take her to the Fire Lord! Let's see your courage now, little girl." The captain sneered as he dragged her by the hair and another soldier opened the metal doors of the eastern entrance.

The Fire Lord stood among the flames engulfing the dais, rage filled his expression. His treacherous son had redirected his own lightning back to him, a skill that he never knew could be done before, and had fled before he could retaliate. "What is it?!" He shouted at the soldiers, his usual calm and sinister demeanor replaced with anger and hostility.

"My Lord," The captain bowed, "The apprentice has betrayed and conspired with the Royal Concubine to assassinate you. We, your loyal guard, had managed to subdue this lowly scum!" He forcefully threw Chiyo to the ground before the Fire Lord. Suiren was released and thrown next to her.

She scrambled towards her apprentice and wrapped her arms around Chiyo's bleeding form. "Spare her, please! This is all my fault! She was acting upon my orders—"

"SILENCE!" He bellowed and slowly walked through the flames. Once he reached them, he gave the young woman a swift and powerful kick, sending her back a few paces, whimpering in pain.

Suiren clutched the Fire Lord's leg, begging him desperately for mercy. "STOP IT, PLEASE!" Fire Lord Ozai harnessed the power of lightning in his fingertips, feeling the electricity crackling in the air.

Chiyo turned her head to look at them one last time and closed her tired eyes.

It all happened so fast.

She expected to feel the intense, excruciating pain of the lightning.

She expected her life to flash before her eyes.

She expected to die.

She heard a loud thud hit the floor and she opened her eyes.

A soundless scream left her lips as she saw her mentor's body lying on the ground before her. Chiyo scrambled towards it and held her body close. "No no no no no..." She shook and trembled, tears and blood mixing and falling on Suiren's lifeless body. Her whispers turned to screams. "NO! NO!"

Ozai stumbled back, his whole form shaking from what he witnessed. Suiren had thrown herself in the way of the lightning that was meant for Chiyo, hitting her square in the chest. "Do you hate me that much, that you would rather die than be by my side?"

Chiyo wept as she stared into the lifeless, open eyes of her teacher, the woman who had raised her. The woman who had fed and clothed her. The woman who had taken her under her wing and taught her everything she knew. This woman who had treated her like her own child of flesh and blood.

This woman who became her mother...

"Death is far too easy and merciful for you..." Ozai growled low and snatched Suiren's body away from her. Chiyo screamed and dug her nails into the man's arms, clawing them off. The soldiers came once again and pulled her away from them. "Take her to Boiling Rock and lock her up for the rest of her days! Keep her alive, but barely! I will make you wish for death, but I shall deny you that satisfaction!" He bore his golden eyes into her own, hatred burning deep in them. "You will never see the light of the sun ever again!"